The Vampire of Konoha
by RoCk-ThIs-PaRtY153
Summary: Gleaming dark eyes surveyed her capture. She licked her lips with anticipation as the Uchiha glared back struggling with the ropes. Her lips were the only thing he could see with her cloak. "You're all mine now." She whispers with a sickening smile. Her voice; demonic. Her mouth; drenched with the blood of another. And soon, to be drenched with his.
1. Chapter 1 Missing

**Hey everyone! I'm sorry I haven't updated this story in a while. I am now going to attempt to rewrite this story into a better and newer story with better grammar, and more sense made in this. Because the last one made no sense at all as I read over it. It was just too random and fast for its own good. So, let's start it slow. And then pick up the pace if you know what I mean ;D**

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Vampire of Konoha – Chapter 1

Naruto groaned seeing Sasuke at Team Seven's meeting spot. He truthfully wasn't entirely up for a fight with Sasuke, and frankly, things weren't going so well for him. He had overdosed on fifty three bowls of ramen, and his stomach was going to burst, and he really would rather have Sakura there then Sasuke.

Sasuke glared at Naruto, and with shaking hands he grabbed the nine tailed vessel by the collar.

"Where. Is. Sakura." The angered Uchiha said between gritted teeth, making Naruto's eyes go as wide as plates. He looked around finally noticing his pink haired sister like friend was nowhere to be found. He gave a loud yell of disbelief and jumped up.

"Sakura-Chan's missing? SAKURA-CHAN IS MISSING?" Naruto screamed grabbing his blond hair in frantic panic. Sasuke glared with his left eyebrow twitching in annoyance, crossing his arms in annoyance. She wasn't home, and he had checked the park, the market, and all of the forest. Though no one knew, Sasuke himself was going insane with the pink haired woman's absence.

Naruto lifted a small rock on the ground screaming Sakura's name, and checked in a rabbit hole, then went to the very top of the tree, and screamed her name for the whole village to hear at the early seven o'clock morning hour. Tsunade heard from her office, and her eyebrows creased in concern. Shizune walked in with little TonTon in her grasp looking at the Hokage.

"Lady Hokage, do you think she…?" Tsunade looked down at Shizune's partial question. Hazel eyes became conflicted, and she closed them in sorrow.

"Send ANBU around the Village. Tell them they are looking for my student." Tsunade stood saying with a shaking voice. Shizune looked down with tears in her eyes.

"Tsunade, she's still Sakura! She's still your apprentice, your daughter, my sist—"

"Enough Shizune!" Tsunade yelled. Her hands were clenched into tight fist, and the blond Hokage gritted her teeth.

Kakashi stared at Naruto's insane search, as he looked in the most ridiculous places. He had even picked up a piece of grass and yelled if she was there. Sasuke crossed his arms racking his mind for places he didn't check that Sakura would be. Where could she be? Why was she torturing them like this? She knew they would go crazy. Well, she knew Naruto and Kakashi would go crazy, but that was beside the point.

"Calm down guys. Maybe Tsunade simply sent her on another mission. Besides, we have our own mission to get to." Kakashi spoke as calmly as he could. Sasuke turned and glared.

"You just said maybe. If Tsunade had sent her on a mission wouldn't you have known for a fact?" Sasuke growled with menace in his Sharigan activated eyes and the curse mark spread to below his jaw line.

"Sasuke, calm down. You're not the only one who cares for her." Sasuke grabbed Kakashi by the neck.

"You _**only**_ care about her!" Sasuke yelled, his voice mixed with something not of this world, as he threw Kakashi through trees. Naruto immediately grabbed Sasuke before he could go and attack Kakashi again.

"**Let go of me! Let go so I can finish him!"** Sasuke screamed as the curse mark spread more to his arm and across his face.

"Sasuke-Teme, stop! Think of her, think of Sakura, just like we practiced!" Naruto reminded him keeping him in a bear hug and above the ground. The Uchiha shook and breathed hard ragged breaths. He slowly calmed, and the curse mark deactivated, along with the Sharigan. He panted grabbing his head in pain.

"Sasuke its okay, we'll find her. Maybe Kakashi was right, and they sent her on another mission without telling us." Naruto suggested. Sasuke stared at Naruto with emotionless onyx eyes asking silently if he thought so. Naruto smiled and brought up his hand pulling Sasuke to his feet. Kakashi sighed and cracked his neck.

"Well, at least we know we're not missing any strength. Let's get going." Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets and Naruto crossed his arms not liking going on a mission without Sakura. It felt like they were missing a part of themselves, a part of the Team. It wasn't right…

Something wasn't right.

Sasuke ran off, searching for his scroll, while Kakashi and Naruto also went their separate ways. He heard Naruto talking nonsense about how to cook ramen through the communicator and Kakashi was actually listening and commenting. Sasuke growled. How could they comment on ramen, when Sakura was missing? She was the most important part of their team, and all they were talking about was ramen.

Sasuke stopped and saw the sight below him. A man was cowering before a form, covered with a large black cape with the hood over the head, and the cape reaching the mystery person's ankle. He saw black boots on the person's feet, but there was a small heel suggesting this person was a woman.

"P-Please, I'm sorry! I didn't know they were yours! Fo-Forgive me!" He begged on his knees for mercy, and to be let go.

"Please, I have children." By this time, the man was crying. The person started with a scoff, and slowly it turned into a chuckle, then a giggle, then laughter of a woman. Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed. He knew that laugh…from somewhere. The person lifted the pleading man from the ground with an iron grip. She brought his ear down to her lips, and whispered something. Sasuke had enough and jumped down behind the woman and the man.

"Put him down." Sasuke commanded and the woman turned. He couldn't see her face or hair or anything, but her body was clothed in black, and held rather nice curves. She chuckled again.

"As you wish." She purred out, and crushed the man's neck before dropping him. He had an instant death, and Sasuke couldn't help but let his eyes widen. He had never ever encountered anyone with that kind of brutality. They way she crushed the man's neck gave no sign of remorse for the man even if he begged. Sasuke glared and gritted his teeth and running at the murderer and attacking. The person dodged his fist, and blocked another. Sasuke still couldn't see her, and he was determined to find out who this menace was.

"Who are you?" Sasuke growled when she grabbed his wrist in her fingerless gloved hands.

"Wouldn't you like to know." She teased jumping up to avoid his kick and kicking him in the face. He fell back against the ground on his back wincing. He opened his eyes and just before he could get up, she was on top of him, straddling his waist.

"Sasuke Uchiha, member of Team Seven, traitor of Konoha, then member of Orochimaru, then a part of Team Hebi and back to Konoha!" She said aloud as if introducing him to an audience. Sasuke glared and brought his fists up to punch her only to get them pinned.

"Get off me!" Sasuke yelled at her. She was unbelievably strong, almost inhuman like strength.

"Is that any way to treat a woman Sasuke-kun?" His eyes widened when she brushed her lips against his and chuckled. She moved her lips to his ear and nibbled with chuckle. Sasuke moved his head away, she purred.

"Oh Sasuke-kun, are we not meant to be? You and I share the same feelings for each other." She bit his bottom lip, and Sasuke could've sworn he felt canine's, larger than the average human canine's. Almost like she had fangs.

"That man, he was going to hurt you." Sasuke's eyes widened hearing her tone of voice here. Her voice changed as if going from a sensual seductress, with no morality, to more human, and it was a human he knew.

"And you are mine." She growled her voice back to demonic. She disappeared and Sasuke sat up. His eyebrows furrowed, with disturbed eyes, and he shook his head looking at the dead man.

"Was...that…no. It can't be. I didn't see her face, so how would I know?" Sasuke whispered to himself and sighed.

"Besides…she was crazy." Sasuke scoffed and crossing his arms. He thought about what his next move was to be. He touched the communicator on his neck.

"Kakashi, Naruto, get a medic to where I am. We have a dead body here." Sasuke told them with a sigh.

"_Did you do it?"_ Kakashi asked.

"No. It was some woman. I lost her."

"_You what?"_ Naruto screamed. Sasuke growled.

"Dobe what the hell did I tell you about screaming through the damn communicator. I truthfully don't give a damn if you scream anywhere in the damn world, but don't you fucking scream into the communicator!" Sasuke barked. Naruto chuckled sheepishly.

"_Sorry Teme. But, how could you lose her? You never lose anybody!"_ Sasuke shook his head sighing.

"Something was odd about that woman…best way I can describe her is a crazed lunatic who's escaped from a deranged asylum. But she also sounded like she knew what she was talking about…she wasn't…" Sasuke thought back remembering her laughing at the begging man.

"Never mind. I'll make a mark here, and continue on fi—" Sasuke looked over and saw a scroll drop to the ground from above. He looked up seeing the dark hooded woman. He glared.

"Hey! Get back here!" Sasuke yelled running towards her and punching her, only to be met with smoke.

"A shadow clone…great." Sasuke rolled his eyes crossing his arms.

"_Was that her?"_

"No Kakashi. It was a shadow clone…but she left me a scroll." Sasuke said jumping down and grabbing the scroll. His eyes widen in pure shock.

"This…is the scroll I was looking for." Sasuke said with furrowed eyebrows.

"_What?"_ Kakashi said with an edge in his voice.

"_No one was supposed to know about this!"_ Naruto yelled. Sasuke growled as Naruto apologized again. Sasuke put the scroll in his pouch looking around.

"Well apparently she did. Are we going to regroup now?" Sasuke asked.

"_I still have my scroll to find. I'll radio you guys when I do."_Naruto confessed, and remained silent. Sasuke sighed, crossing his arms with concern thinking of what the woman said.

"_**And you are mine"**_How could he be hers? Besides, Sasuke Uchiha didn't belong to anyone. No female, and he sure as hell didn't belong to no male. It just concerned him. Could it be some fan girl that has just gone off the charts?

"_Sasuke, there's more to this mystery woman isn't there…"_ Kakashi stated as if knowing already. Sasuke closed his eyes.

"She…I don't know Kakashi. It was like I knew her."

"_What do you mean?"_ But Sasuke remained silent. He was worried on what Kakashi would think or say about his next words. So he stayed quiet, not sure on what to say. He heard Kakashi sigh.

"_Sasuke, I am still your teacher and friend. I guess you can even refer to me as a father figure. You can talk to me about anything. And I will not judge you."_ Kakashi said. Sasuke sighed touching the communicator on his neck cursing his ex-sensei. That bastard played the Father Figure card.

"I don't know Kakashi. I just knew her. Her body structure was the same, her voice sounded familiar despite that it had an edge to it that sounded more…demonic, and she had on gloves, that I swear I've seen before. And her fighting style…it was similar." Sasuke confided looking around remembering how she had pinned him. Only one person had done that when they were sparring. But that person was a close friend, and this woman, was…a psychotic murderer.

"_What do you mean similar?"_

"Nothing! Forget I said anything. She's gone now. And she won't be showing up again." Sasuke growled loudly.

"_Okay Sasuke."_

"_Hey guys I got my scroll, let's meet up at our Bridge now, then get them to Tsunade-baa-chan!"_ Naruto declared finally. A grin was plastered on his face and he laughed.

"_And who knows, maybe Sakura-Chan is over there, and she's perfectly fine!"_ Naruto suggested with glee.

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"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SAKURA-CHAN HASN'T BEEN SEEN SINCE YESTERDAY?" Naruto yelled at the Hokage as she cringed along with the other people in the room. Sasuke's eyes turned red with anger and the Sharigan while Kakashi's exposed eye turned serious.

The Cherry Blossom of Konoha was missing.

Tsunade's eyes were serious but saddened with worry. She had no idea where Sakura could be, or what she was doing, or what was being done to her.

"I'm sure we'll find her. Besides if I know my student, Sakura can take very good care of herself." Sasuke scoffed at the Hokage's words and he clenched his hands into fist.

"How do you know that? What if she's kidnapped? Raped? Murdered? What will you do then huh?" Sasuke yelled at the blond woman. She stared with sad eyes at his outburst. His breaths became hard, and he glared at her with hatred.

"Sasuke, I know how you feel about her…but there's nothing to worry about. Honest. She can handle herself." Tsunade ensured. Sasuke turned with an almost animalistic growl.

"I'm going out to find her." He said but was stopped by Kakashi.

"Sasuke, you know you can't leave the Village. You're still on probation." Kakashi tried. But it was no use, and he was pushed aside.

"Fuck my probation. Sakura is missing and everyone seems to only care about everything else except her!" Sasuke said the curse mark activating again. He grabbed his shoulder where the curse mark stayed, and turned with fangs and his sharigan bared.

"I'm not going to just sit around and wait while she's possibly dead now! Naruto, why aren't you saying anything? We fought over her for years! You love her!" Sasuke yelled. Naruto looked down with hands clenched into shaking fist.

"I…I agree with Sasuke." Naruto said turning to Tsunade. Tsunade gave a slight look of shock.

"You can't be serious." She whispered. Naruto bit his bottom lip.

"In truth, I can't deny it to myself anymore Tsunade. I…I'm not going to just sit back relaxed if Sakura-Chan's missing. I'm not going to sleep knowing somewhere, she's not safe." Sasuke's breathing slowly became calmer.

Tsunade looked down sadly.

"I know what you mean…I feel the same." Hazel eyes became determined and she smiled.

"You three now have a new mission, and it begins this instant." She commanded. Sasuke smirked, and Naruto grinned, while Kakashi smiled.

"Locate Sakura Haruno."

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**And so ends chapter one of our new story guys! Please review, and let me know what you think of it. :) Thank you and hope to see you soon!**


	2. Chapter 2 Night

**Yay next chapter to our new story! I hope you guys are liking this new one. I'm really working hard to improve it. Complaints and comments are welcomed whether its through reviewing of a private message mmkkayyyy? Now! Time for the next chapter! :D Me happy. Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy! Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy! Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy! Happy, Happy, Joy, Jo— x.X**

**Gaara: Nice hit over the head Sasuke.**

**Sasuke: -twitch- No problem. On with the story.**

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'_Have you seen Sakura?'_

'_Did you see my student, Sakura this morning?'_

'_Where the hell is my Sakura-Chan? Tell me! I'll rip your head off!'_

Sasuke growled crossing his arms with anger and leaning against a tree roughly. The three had just finished asking just about everyone in the village the still unanswered questions.

The main question being; '_Have you seen Sakura?'_

And though all three knew this could and would be easy or hard, there was in their hearts, the complete frustration of not knowing where the Cherry Blossom of the Team was. Before this they always knew where Sakura was, and always knew she was safe. Whether it was Naruto and Sasuke keeping an eye on her while she made her journey home, or she called them to let them know she was safe, they could always account for her whereabouts. And now they couldn't.

If someone asked them where Sakura was, they wouldn't be able to answer point blank.

And it angered the three of them, despite them not showing it.

Hearing the anger in the Uchiha's growl, his two teammates turned raising the eyebrows in a questioning manner.

"What's up Sasuke?" Kakashi asked. His inquiring, fatherly structure left no room for argument. The Uchiha would tell him everything. And it was to be that way for the remainder of the mission. Sasuke closed his onyx eyes and shook his head.

"How are we supposed to find Sakura? We've already looked everywhere in the village. There's no trail for us to follow. And we have no witnesses that say where she's gone." He growled in frustration. His head filled with the memories of him and the pink haired female, both when they were younger, and when they were older. How she would let him share his problems with her whenever he wanted to become more open. How she always stood by his side. Hell, it was even because of her that when he walked through the village gates, his head wasn't chopped off by an executioner.

Even…that one night that he knew they would always remember.

Now that she was gone…he could only hope they weren't too late to find her.

"Relax Teme…we'll find her. I swear. I don't care what stands in our way. I, no, _we _won't stop until she's safe…," Naruto's voice trailed from its once loud obnoxiousness. His eyes fell downcast and despite the small smile, the sadness of the nine tailed demon vessel was apparent.

"…or home." The three men fell into a saddened state with the last two words, spoken quietly from the lips of Naruto. He was right. They were all not going to stop until Sakura was safe…

But if she was no longer safe…let alone no longer breathing, they would bring her home. They wouldn't know what would happen after that, but they guaranteed Sakura would in fact be brought home.

Sasuke stood sighing. With his onyx eyes looking downward, he spoke.

"She's not in the village. We know that much. We have to check other places. I say we start tomorrow dawn. Let's meet up at the gates at five in the morning and then search the outer woods, outside of Konoha. If we still don't find her then, we will go to the Mist Village." Sasuke said. The other two nodded, being both coherent and comfortable with the plan. It was a plan they could and would do for the rest of their lives if it took that long. Naruto looked down.

"Well, I'm gonna get home and have a good night's rest for tomorrow. See ya…" Naruto said, a grin plastered on his face as he turned and walked away. Sasuke looked at Naruto's back, his own eyes darkening in sadness. Naruto's grin was fake, although to the untrained eye, it looked like the old usual Naruto. He was grieving already. And Sasuke knew none of them would be getting a "good night's rest." Not with Sakura gone.

Kakashi placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"He's right. Get home Sasuke." The silver haired man said closing his eyes and disappeared in smoke. The lone Uchiha was left to walk home, his eyes downcast, and his hands in his pockets, locked in tight fist.

'_Come on Sakura. Give me a sign. Where are you?' _He thought, closing his eyes and wiping his mind of anything and everything, where he was left in the blackness of his mind until he got home.

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As usual the Uchiha home was empty. The kitchen was lonely with a gentle light revealing an intricate kitchen filled only with necessities. The living room was quiet with not a speck of dust anywhere. The hallway was dark and deserted. He hated the hallway. There was always the constant reminder of what this hallway once was before he renovated the house completely.

This hallway once let to the bedroom in which his parents were murdered in.

Sasuke glared and closed his eyes again, grabbing the handle of his bedroom door and walking in to the dimly lit space.

While staying with Orochimaru some habits stayed with Sasuke. For instance, almost every hideout belonging to Orochimaru that Sasuke had been in was dimly lit; sometimes to the point where he needed to use the sharigan to see. However this also gave Sasuke some sort of comfort that usual light did not. It was darker, and there were fewer distractions were around than when in the light. Other things included looking over his shoulder when going into a room, as well as locking his door no matter what.

The only thing on his mind was a shower, and hopefully his bed.

As the water ran down his unmanageable spiked up hair, face, and muscular body, Sasuke opened his eyes as Sakura's voice came into his head. Another memory, he was desperately trying both to keep and forget. He wanted to keep it, because it brought them closer together. He wanted to forget it because it was a reminder of their separated past.

"_Sakura!" The voice called out from across the street to the young pink haired woman walking through and reading a book. She stopped and turned her green eyes now in a curious haze that only a child could possess. She smiled and who she saw. _

"_Hey, Sasuke-kun!" She said smiling sweetly. The wind blew, and her still short pink hair flowed with the spring breeze. He smirked and walked across to meet her. _

"_Where you headed?" He asked calmly and kindly. Onyx eyes met jade green orbs, before she closed hers and sighed. She simply shrugged her shoulders, and lifted the book, revealing something about medicine with a grin of guilt. He smirked and shook his head._

"_Same old same old, ya know? Gonna find a nice quiet spot in the woods, and read this that's all." She said shrugging again. Sasuke nodded. _

"_Mind if I tag along? I need a place to think." He said looking down and scratching his right foot against the floor. A sign that he was nervous, through he tried to make it seem like a cool gesture. It worked. Sakura gave him that sweet smile, and nodded. _

"_Sure. I don't mind at all." _

_The walk to the woods was a quiet one, only filled with a comment here or there, or a question from Sasuke to Sakura based on the book. Other than that, it was quiet…and comfortable. The presence of the other was felt and appreciated. _

_Sakura now sat on a branch not too high up in a tree while Sasuke twirled a kunai with his first finger, thinking, like he said he would. This period of time, was also spent in a comfortable silence. One that each of the present people appreciated and liked. There was even a point in which Sakura sat in between his legs against his chest while he looked over her shoulder and read along with her. _

"_Sakura…" he suddenly broke the silence. She turned closing the book and remaining in between his legs. _

"_What is it Sasuke-kun?" _At this moment, Sasuke remembered the look in her eyes. And his eyes turned into what they were that moment in time as well. A saddened haze mixed in with fear and slight misery. His hands clenched into fist.

"_Sakura…I want to…I just…I…" He trailed having trouble with his words. She stared at him attentively and concerned. _

"_I want to apologize." He said finally. _He remembered her eyes, filling with slight shock and confusion about what he was saying and doing. Her lips parted to say something but he didn't let her.

"_That night, those years ago…that shouldn't have happened to you. Especially not after what you had told me, and…" He trailed again losing his words. He looked down away from her eyes, before looking back. _

"_I always wanted to take it all back. I never wanted to leave you at the bench like that…and I shouldn't have." He ended leaving the two in silence for a brief moment. _She stared at him with a look of slight hurt as she remembered the night he spoke of. And at that moment, the image of the memory disappeared and only her voice came through as he closed his eyes to imagine her embrace.

'_It's okay Sasuke-kun. I've forgiven you for a long time now. Let's just forget that night ever happened.' _With each passing word her invisible embrace became stronger.

'_You left and came back.' _Her voice almost seemed right by his ear like it was that day. He could hear the tears in her voice and her hands clench into fist.

'_That's all that matters...,' _She whispered as the end of her words. He opened his eyes thinking he would see her, but much to his disappointment, there was only his shower wall, and the water running down his body. He sighed finishing up the bath and walking out and placing on only a pair of fresh boxers. He threw himself on his bed staring up at the ceiling. He glared at its emptiness.

He activated his sharigan, the red color over taking the original onyx, hoping something would happen. Hopefully the ceiling would shrivel in fear like everyone else who saw the sharigan to give him some kind of amusement. He was only ready for action, not sleep, and more or less, Sakura. He scoffed.

This wasn't going to work. He knew he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.

He sat up. He picked up the picture everyone in team seven held dear to their hearts. Recently they had a new team picture. While still keeping the old one, they had a new one, of the present, which they liked much better than the past. They still had their respectful spaces; Sakura in the center, Naruto to the right and Sasuke to the left, and instead of behind them Kakashi stood to the left of Sasuke, his only visible eye showing a wrinkle which indicated his smile casually scratching the back of his head.

Naruto was grinning madly with an arm around Sakura, his eyes closed with joy. Sasuke was standing pretty close to Sakura, but looked into the camera with a slight smile. Sakura stood more womanly, smiling gently. Her hands were in front of her and she was putting on her gloves and she looked at up at Sasuke with her eyes while staying close to Naruto. The picture, revealed longtime friends, ready for anything so long as they had each other.

Sasuke's eyes remained trained on Sakura. Her smile was soft and warming, her eyes looked up at him in the picture with an amusement of their own, probably since she was the only one who noticed he smiled at the time. He smiled and caressed her face on the picture.

"Come on Sakura…where are you?" He spoke as if it would reply.

He laid back down looking at the digital clock beside his bed. Large red numbers read three thirteen in the morning. He sighed and stood. It was best that he prepared his things now, and maybe search a little more in the forest for her or something. Dawn would come in two more hours.

He placed the picture down and stood and walked to his bathroom, unaware he had passed watching eyes.

The figure of a woman stepped out of the shadows. Her hooded caped figure walked out and reached for the picture the Uchiha was once looking at. Her hand ran over Naruto, the woman in the photo, and stopped at Sasuke. A grin of madness reached her lips.

"Sasuke-kun…you're mine." She whispered. She looked to the bathroom door, hearing the knob turn, and placed the picture faced down. She retreated into a cloud of smoke and disappeared before Sasuke had the chance of discovering her.

Sasuke was dressed and ready but noticed something odd. He was sure he had left the team photo up on the night stand. He picked it up with shock.

"What the hell!" He roared.

One the photo was fingerprinted blood, most of it over Sakura and him.


	3. Chapter 3 Search

**Hey hey hey! Sorry for not updating quickly enough. I KIND of got my computer back. Kind of. Its...a long complicated story that would seem pretty ridiculous. =P So here ya go guys. I worked hard on this...kind of. I thnk I could've put more into it, but I didn't want the chapter to drag on. Hopefully I did good :) Review for me will ya? Let me know how it goes.**

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_Chapter 3 - Search_

Sasuke glared down at the painting looking around with his sharigan activated.

"Who's here?" He yelled. He began to feel fear a chilling feeling crawling up his spine, in which he tried hard to suppress. He took slow deep breaths. His heart beat raced, a cold sweat fell upon his brow. Why this was having an effect on him he didn't know. It wasn't his first time seeing blood…but on this picture…on Sakura.

What did it mean?

Was this someone who knew what her fate was? Did they know what happened to her? Do they know where she is?

Of course, Sasuke knew it was no secret to himself. He knew there was a possibility that Sakura could be dead. In missing cases, there's always a chance that person was dead. No matter how hard it may hurt to acknowledge…there was always a chance. It will never ever be for certain unless the person was there in front of you.

But the possibility that she could be dead; the feeling of knowing that somewhere she's lying on the ground, not breathing…

Sasuke shook his head tearing his eyes away from the bloody picture. He walked into the bathroom beginning to wash the glass frame staring at Sakura's face. Sakura could handle herself. He knew that even if she'd gone down, it wasn't going to be quietly. Hell he was sure if she was somewhere dead, she fought, and wherever Sakura fought, whoever she fought, they would not only find her, but a battle ground. He was sure, they would find the level earth rocked and disturbed as if an earthquake were to separate it.

It could be an earthquake, or it could be Sakura herself.

He chuckled gently remembering when he returned to the village. She had walked in on him talking to Tsunade about his punishment, with Naruto at his side. She stopped at the door with tears of happiness in her eyes, and called his name in disbelief.

"_Sasuke-kun?" All of them looked behind the two boys to see her. Naruto grinned and laughed proudly giving a thumbs up to her. _

"_You see Sakura-Chan! I told you I'd bring him back! I told you I'd fulfill my promise to you!" Naruto proclaimed proudly. Sasuke only stared at her, wanting to say so many things. _He could remember how her face looked that day. Shocked, surprised, happy, he saw a little bit of anger, but most of all…in her face, there was relief. Whether the relief was for him being back safe or for Naruto being back safe, he questioned at the time, but immediately she ran up and hugged him tightly.

"_You idiot! You stupid, fucking, idiot! You could've been taken by Orochimaru you bastard! You stupid son of a bitch!" She cursed him out crying, and hugging him. He smiled gently and hugged her back only saying two words._

"_I know." _

"_Egotsitical, dumbass!" She growled pulling away from him, tears still streaming down her face, while Naruto chuckled and Tsunade held back her laughter. He looked down feeling unworthy of even being in her presence. After all he did to her, he was surprised she even hugged him. He wanted so badly to apologize, and beg for her forgiveness. To give her anything she might want in order for her to forgive him and his betrayal to her and the village._

"_I know." He whispered. His eyes turned sad and he looked up at her, hoping she would read his eyes. She did and smiled gently, despite the tears. _

_The next thing he knew Sakura raised a fist, and he flew out one of the Hokage's large glass office windows, clean across the village, out over the east wall, falling through a few trees of the forest and finally crash landing an extra couple of miles away from the walls of Konoha. _

He could still feel it; the excruciating pain on his face, and the broken, almost disintegrated jaw. And according to Naruto, she didn't even put any power into it.

It was one of the easy punches.

He lifted the clean picture now, with a slight smile on his face. Sakura was alive…

She just had to be.

* * *

Naruto tapped his foot impatiently. Kakashi was again late. Even in this time of crisis in which Sakura was missing, he was late by thirty minutes now. Sasuke himself was getting angrier and angrier with each passing minute. He would occasionally break a branch from the tree they waited under at the gates and would shave it into a straight spike. Each stroke of his dagger was more violent than the next. The two would understand if it was a mission and Sakura was safe, but now that her life was in possible danger he was frigging late?

"If he doesn't come in another two minutes Naruto I'm gone." Sasuke growled between gritted teeth. His breath seething with rage. Naruto scoffed and crossed his arms, the tapping of his foot not stopping for anything.

"You'd think he'd care enough to get his ass over here on time!" Naruto yelled angrily slamming his fist into the tree. As if speaking of the devil, Kakashi Hatake appeared in a cloud of smoke, a solemn, disappointed look in his only revealed eye.

"Sorry I'm late…I was just—"

"What? Taking the walk of life?" Naruto said bitterly. Sasuke's strokes on the branch he was working on was angrier.

"Helping an old lady cross the street?" Sasuke asked glaring at him with red eyes.

"Got lost because of a wrong turn you took?" Naruto grabbed his teacher's collar feeling an extreme anger rising from deep in his heart. His low seething voice had turned into screaming. Kakashi only shook his head at his previous excuses.

"I went to check around the forest and Sakura's house…trying to find something." Naruto's eyes widened and Sasuke only looked over clenching his dagger tightly. Naruto glared. He pushed his former teacher back just a little.

"Find anything?" He said, angered sky blue eyes continued looking at his teacher. At that, Kakashi pulled out Sakura's red village headband, and a diary.

"We'll look at these two things tonight when we set up camp. We have a lot of ground to cover. Let's get moving." The older man of the three commanded in which they nodded and began their search out side of the great village gates. Their communicators were silent, due to their entire focus and concentration being on finding their friend and teammate. It wasn't until dusk, and finding completely nothing that they met back at a river, where they had decided to make camp.

Once a fire was made, and the final rays of light died into the night sky, Kakashi brought out the diary, and Sakura's headband. After passing the headband which stopped at Sasuke's hands, Kakashi brought out the diary. Normally they wouldn't dare to invade Sakura's privacy like this. But this was an emergency…and she could've wrote something about she was either going to, or what might have led to her disappearance.

"A week ago. Maybe that's where we'll get more information." Naruto said urgently in which Kakashi nodded and Sasuke listened while looking down at the headband. Unless walking around casually, or partying or going out and such things like that she'd never leave without it. She loved her village dearly.

"June Fifteenth." Kakashi spoke out. There was silence between all of them, the only sound being the crackles of the fire and Kakashi reading the words of the diary.

"It's like I can't control him anymore. Kai is just going crazy, and…so am I. I look at Naruto and Sasuke, and Kakashi-sensei, and I can't believe myself. How could I just keep lying to them for years about this? I mean sure…I didn't even know it was all a lie, but now…now that I know, I can't even bring myself to tell them. They mean the world to me, and yet, I can't tell them. They'll look at me different…they won't see Sakura…they'll see someone they don't even know." Kakashi stopped his eye saddening as he took a deep breath.

"But…," Naruto stopped when Sasuke put a hand on his shoulder. He looked down, remaining silent for Kakashi to continue.

"My mission is clear. I'll have to go into investigation about this. Honestly, I don't know who I am anymore. If I really have ties to this, then who am I? Is my name even really Sakura Haruno? Was I even really born here in Konoha? I have to go. Kai needs me. Sakura."

Sasuke looked up at Kakashi.

"Lying to us?" Sasuke asked.

"What did she find out?" Naruto immediately questioned. Kakshi only turned the page back and skimmed the June Fourteenth entry.

"Listen to this." He started.

"…This excruciating pain I can no longer take. It's at my neck, throbbing and stinging. It's like something bit me. For as long as I could remember, this has happened. It's not just pain, it like a calling. I don't know from who, or what, or why. Why does it call for me? Why does it hurt? I've never been bit there in my life in the first place. Not by an animal or person or anything of the sort. I have to find who this is…follow the call. Maybe it will end. I have to do it now."

"Then there's what looks like pencil stabbings." Kakashi said. Sasuke grabbed the diary.

"I've been working on something with my Sharigan. If I hold it, I think I can take us back to that night…" Sasuke said. Naruto grinned.

"Let's do it then! Hell maybe we can find out what happened!" Kakashi nodded with Naruto's excited statement. Sasuke shook his head however, meaning there was a catch.

"I don't have it nearly perfected. It takes a lot of chakra from me…and the longest I've remained in the past was about ten minutes." Sasuke said looking down. Naruto looked down a bit disappointed and hurt.

"Well…whatever we can learn can help right?" Naruto asked. Sasuke nodded and stood looking down at the date. June fourteenth and activating the crimson red color of the sharigan. The red color overtook the onyx color of his eyes, and three commas surrounded his pupil spinning to where everything melted down to them being in Sakura's room. Naruto looked around grinning. Kakashi stood, astonished.

"Wait a go teme!" Naruto grinned looking at the calendar in Sakura's room. The June Calender had X's up until the fourteenth with was not yet "X'd" out.

"Amazing Sasuke." Sasuke nodded. They immediately heard that one voice; the one voice, they miss and value more than ever.

"Bye Naruto, Bye Sasuke-kun! Thanks for walking me home." It came from the living room downstairs and soon the door had closed and there was only the footsteps walking towards the bedroom. Naruto;s eyes suddenly widened.

"Wait we gotta hide! She's gonna see us!" Naruto whispered. Sasuke shook his head, making the blond confused.

"This is the past Naruto. There's nothing we can do to change it because we weren't here when the past was the present. To put it simply, she can't see or hear us." Sasuke explained. Kakashi nodded and Naruto grinned even wider liking the fact that he could now see Sakura again, even if it was in the past. The door opened and the three immediately turned towards it, hopeful and…something else. The three weren't sure what the feeling was, maybe a mixture of relief, joy, and excitement, but seeing her walk through the door, the three smiled.

"Sakura-Chan…" Naruto whispered.

She walked through the door, as clear as day. Her short pink hair just as it usually was, beautiful and bright despite the night threatening its bright color. She dropped her keys on her dresser looking down at them, and then the beautiful jade green orbs lifted to look at them. Despite them thinking she was actually looking at them, she walked towards what they were standing in front of which was the closed window. They moved out of her way all of them having tears in their eyes.

She was still so beautiful.

It was Sasuke who was the first to move. He walked to her side reaching to touch her but he stopped shaking head. He knew it would only fall through, creating the pain of knowing it was only the past. She sighed gently until her eyes widened.

All of them became serious.

She grabbed her neck and began to scream in pure agony. She dropped to her knees, panting uncontrollably. She began to cry, and sat against the wall beneath the window. She closed her eyes, they guessed to try and block out the pain. But she only tensed and screamed again.

"Kai! Kai!" She screamed loud and painfully. There was running footsteps going to her room and a man blasted in, his hair messy, a pure white color, and dark eyes filled with concern and wide with shock. He ran to her side gently prying her hand away from her neck.

"The pain again?" He asked a bit calmly. She nodded shakily. She growled and slammed her fist into the wall she sat against, creating a crack in the concrete. He grabbed her hand holding it tightly.

"I know Sakura. I know. It's unbearable." He said gently. She panted looking at him. Between gritted teeth she spoke, they supposed due to the pain she was feeling. It was that painful and the boys were angered they knew nothing about this.

"W-Why…Why?" She tried speaking. He shook his head.

"I don't know Sakura. It is something we have all gone through. It just happens. Not even we know why." He said shaking his head. Sasuke glared looking at her neck. There was no bite there. He was sure he could relate to the pain. He remembered when he first got bit by Orochimaru. The pain was almost unbearable. But according to Sakura, she had had this pain for as long as she could remember. How did she hide it so well? He passed out to it.

"Who is he talking about when he says we?" Naruto questioned quietly. Kakashi shrugged.

She lifted herself off the ground grudgingly with Kai supporting her entire weight.

"Sakura…"

"I hear it." She suddenly said. She breathed heavily. Kai's eyes suddenly darkened and became serious and his hands clenched into fist.

"It's calling me…somewhere…." Sakura said suddenly standing perfectly on her own. Kai looked at her.

"Sakura, don't listen to it." Sakura shook her head.

"I have to Kai…" She said looking at him, the image of Sakura began to melt slightly, and Sasuke dropped to his knees. Naruto looked down at him.

"Sasuke!" He yelled kneeling to him grabbing his friend's shoulder. Kakashi continued to watch.

"Sasuke you need to hold it. I think we almost have the information we need." The older man said. Sasuke looked up his sharigan spinning and the image becoming sharper again as it was. Naruto began to pump is own chakra into him, hoping to help keep it up, but Sasuke was right. It was taking a lot of energy.

"Sakura, don't do it. If anything, its him. He's only going to use you. It's the reason I left." Kai said urgently shaking Sakura's shoulder's so he'd get her attention more. She breathed gently and nodded. Her eyes then changed. They went from bright, to dark and…lust filled. She looked at Kai and pushed him onto her bed.

"Sakura, what are you—?" She placed a finger up to his lips, straddling him. The boys glared. This was not like Sakura at all. What in the hell was she doing? She chuckled hushing him.

"Don't worry Kai…I'll make all your worries and questions disappear." She brushed her lips against his and went to his neck. She chuckled and got off him walking to the door and leaving the bedroom. However, the tone of her voice had changed as well. It was different, sensual, seductive and demonic. Sasuke's eyes widened.

"_And you are mine."_

"The voice…" He whispered, and his eyes drained of the red color to his original black. The image melted away as well.

The hooded woman came into Sasuke's head.

"_And you are mine."_

The voice came back to him.

Sakura's chuckle when she left the bedroom came into his mind.

"_Is that any way to treat a woman Sasuke-__kun__?" His eyes widened when she brushed her lips against his and chuckled. She moved her lips to his ear and nibbled with chuckle. Sasuke moved his head away, she purred._

"No…" He whispered. Naruto and Kakashi looked at him with concern.

"What is it Sasuke?" Naruto asked. Kakashi knelt down.

"The hooded woman…" Sasuke looked to the floor. His breathing had become shaky, and he shook his head.

"No there's no possible way." Naruto glared grabbing Sasuke's collar and shaking him.

"Well let it out Teme! Don't keep us in the dark we want to know! Does this concern Sakura-Chan or not!" Sasuke stared at Naruto is eyes confused and puzzled, as well as hurt and worried. That crazed woman…that couldn't have been her. So their voices were similar. Sasuke remembered a time in which he was in one of Orochimaru's hideouts. A woman was running away from her husband who worked with the cruel man, and knew Sasuke only a little. She yelled out his name.

It sounded so much like her he made sure she passed by him before pulling out his katana and pressing it to her husband's throat. The man had been beating her, and by her he truly thought Sakura. He truly thought she had found him, that she had been captured and was being tortured, and in seeing him, she found her rescuer. But looking from the corner of his eye all he saw was the battered wife…crying and pleading for him not to kill her beloved husband. He didn't, however he didn't let him go without giving him a warning. Even as the woman pleaded her voice was eerily familiar.

Sasuke shook his head again and stood.

"I need to go for a walk." Sasuke said walking away from the campsite. A look at the stars gave him some relief as he got farther and farther away. But there was that shaking feeling. That feeling that Sakura was out there, either lying dead in the grass or…being that thing. He remembered it.

The fangs.

The voice.

The sheer brutality.

The lack of morality.

All of that was not Sakura at all. It wasn't her. She cared for people. She was a medic for god's sake.

But why the hooded woman was so familiar Sasuke still didn't know.

* * *

**Review Review Review please! Please and thank you! Please! Review. NOW! =D Thank You!**


	4. Chapter 4 False Hopes

**Hi guys I am so sorry its been a while. Between school and well, small writers block, I honestly had nothing to put down, not to mention Hurricane Sandy, and ehhh, everything has just been crazy. Well here you go! Vampire of Konoha Chapter 4! Don't want to keep you waiting any longer now. **

* * *

Kneeling down at the river, Sasuke splashed water onto his face. The action was repeated and whatever water had been left on his hand was put onto the back of his neck where he rubbed just slightly before standing again. Placing the communicator back around his neck, Sasuke pressed the button.

"I'm back. Find anything?" Sasuke spoke. It was day six of their search and while many people would've just given up by now, they refused to do so. Sakura wouldn't have given up on them. She never had. She never would. She always stood by them whether it be in battle or against the entire village who, though they kept it to themselves, hated Sasuke and Naruto. To them Sasuke was just a no good traitor they were sure was going to betray them again, and Naruto was just a demon who had destroyed the village once and would do so again.

'_Eh…I got nothing.' _Naruto said sighing.

To Sakura…they were something though. They weren't just these troublesome terrorist, ready to kill for no reason. They were people and had done things for a certain reason. Some of these things were bad. Sure. But they had a common reason.

To protect Sakura whether she knew it or not.

"_I think I have something. Come here and meet me." _ Kakashi said and instantly let out a large wave of chakra for the boys to follow. When they got to him they were met with a sight that brought slight hope and fear to their hearts. The earthly ground, was disrupted, and destroyed. Almost like an earthquake had hit.

But unlike an earthquake, where Kakashi stood, there was a center. The center was the starting point. Behind him a gigantic beast looking monster, with an Akatsuki cloak wrapped around its neck, seemingly dead. The thing looked like It was decomposing already.

"Do you think it was her?" Kakashi asked. Sasuke and Naruto jumped down to his side. Naruto began to laugh.

"Are you kidding? It has to be! If it's not her, then what else could've caused this? The only people with this kind of strength are Tsunade and Sakura-Chan herself!" Naruto said punching his fist into the air. Kakashi nodded his only visible eye wrinkling slightly to show he was smiling.

"I think your right Naruto. Let's mark this spot." The sensei spoke his voice full of actual hope. While the boys ran off to find a way to mark it, he stood there, staring at the center, where her fist would've been. Silence surrounded him and he closed his eyes. He saw her. Smiling at him when she had parted the earth in front of him for the first time looking for him.

"_Found you." _ She giggled. He chuckled lightly and opened his eyes only to find her not there like he was expecting. His eyes grew saddened and he looked down.

"It hurts…doesn't it?" He heard from behind. Kakashi turned to see Sasuke who stared back at his teacher. He said nothing but is visible eye told everything. The pain and the torture. It was all there. Not knowing where she was, and how she was, it was the worst feeling he had ever felt. It was killing him.

"To think you're going to see her and then to remember she's gone…it destroys you inside." Sasuke whispered almost as if reading his teacher perfectly. His voice became slightly angry and his eyes determined. His hands clenched into fist, making his palms bleed. Naruto sat in the tree looking down at the center.

There was a silence. A deafening silence, where the only sound was the wind.

A slow tear fell down Naruto's face.

"Well I'm going to find her. And the only thing that's gonna stop me is if I die!" Naruto growled. Sasuke then made hand signs and from his mouth came fire at the fallen large monster. It looked like something crossed between a man, and a dragon.

"Is that our mark?" Sasuke nodded to Kakashi's question.

"We figured it would be better. It's huge and if anything, we'll scratch some bark off a few trees as we go to mark a trail." Sasuke said confidently. Kakashi nodded.

"What I want to know is what the hell that thing is. It's ugly. Well uglier now that Sasuke burned it." Naruto chuckled.

"I'm gonna go and do a little extra searching." Naruto said grinning and running off. Sasuke smiled and touched the center point. This spot marked their hope. A hope that she was still alive. Still breathing. It brought slight tears to his onyx orbs that he wouldn't let anyone see.

"_Hello? Can anyone hear me? Sasuke? Kakashi?" _The voice of a female came on. Naruto however had answered.

"_Hey Hinata. Everything okay? We told Tsunade not to send anyone else for the search." _Naruto said, his voice filled with concern but utterly annoyed. The boys wanted to be the ones to find Sakura themselves and Tsunade had said she respected that decision. They weren't going to wait, and they didn't want help. They didn't want the bad news to be delivered to them, even if that meant they had to find it themselves.

"_I know. But Tsunade-sama really needs you to put the search on hold for a day or two." _Sasuke's eyes grew angry and he slammed his fist against a tree.

"Are you kidding me? We've just got our first lead! We can't leave! I don't give a shit what Tsunade says, I am looking for her and nothing can stop me!" Sasuke yelled, seething in something close to hatred.

"Now hang on Sasuke. Maybe we should go check it out. You know Tsunade wants to find Sakura as much as we do, but this might need our attention." Kakashi spoke softly. Sasuke glared and grabbed his teacher's collar and slamming him against another tree.

"She could be close! And because of this we can miss her!" Sasuke growled.

"And how do we know what Tsunade is calling us for is not important to our search?"

"_Sasuke-Teme chill out." _

Sasuke scoffed letting go of his teacher and walking, pacing back and forward. It was starting again.

"Sasuke, it could be important. Keep your mind focused and balanced. Just like we practiced." Kakashi tried to calm him. Sasuke's sharigan activated. He turned to Kakashi and in his eyes was the look of murder.

"My mind is focused. And it's focused on finding Sakura! It's a six hour travel to Konoha from here, how do we know she's not six hours away? Hell, how do we know she is not six hours from death right now?" Sasuke yelled throwing his hands in the way of Konoha and away from it. His curse mark reaching across from his neck.

"_Sasuke…" _Hinata was trying herself.

"_Teme, listen to Kakashi-sensei. He might be right. Maybe this will help us find Sakura-Chan."_

Sasuke gripped his head listening to Kakashi, Hinata, and Naruto's voices all start overlapping as they tried to calm him and convince him to go back to Konoha. The anger and rage brew into a larger amount, consuming him.

And soon, he snapped.

"Shut! Up!" Sasuke yelled out and purple chakra spewed from him. Orange flames ran all over his arm and his face, and burned into his skin to become black. He grabbed Kakashi by the throat and lifted him off the ground. Kakashi struggled with the iron looking down at Sasuke choking. But at the moment the man didn't seem to care. His red eyes were stoic with hatred, and his hand squeezed tighter around his teacher's neck.

"You don't care about her. You _**never**_ did!" Sasuke growled.

"You don't care about her the same way I do." He growled between his teeth, and caused Kakashi to begin to choke.

"Sasuke…stop it." He managed to choke out, but it was barely enough to stop the raged Uchiha. Sasuke smirked and chuckled, only lifting Kakashi as high as he could.

"You'll pay." Sasuke growled, his voice turning demonic.

"Sasuke-kun…!" The voice was behind him, and Kakashi's eyes widened. Sasuke turned only slightly to look. And he saw her. He threw Kakashi away and turned fully to face her. Green eyes stared back at him with worry, and tears were filled in them. She looked scared; scared of him, but determined to stop him; just like she always did when his curse mark went on the fritz.

"Sakura…," He whispered. He lifted his hand to caress her face, walking towards her as the black flames glowed into fire once more and retreated. After feeling the soft skin of her face and lips, he dropped to his knees breathing hard and unstably but hugging her waist and laying his head at her thighs. She lifted his head to look at her before kneeling down to him.

"Sakura…," He cried quietly and let tears escape as he pulled her into a tight embrace, smelling her pink hair, holding her as tightly as he could.

"I know. I know." She whispered and caressed his hair as she made his head lean on her chest.

"I missed you so much…please don't go. Ever again. Don't go. Don't go." He whispered holding her even tighter. She caressed his hair one last time to place her hand on a pressure point on his neck.

"I know." She whispered back, and pressed hard against his pressure point, making him knock out instantly. She lied him down, and stared at him for a moment before looking back at Kakashi. Kakashi's eye saddened, already knowing.

Sakura then changed into Naruto, who disappeared meaning it was a clone. Naruto jumped down from a tree with tears spilling out his eyes.

It wasn't fair. Why did she have to be gone? Couldn't it have been someone else? Someone who wouldn't even matter? As messed up as it sounded, the team seven boys had wished it. But now, the person they loved the most was missing, and they had no idea where she was…

Naruto scoffed, and lifted Sasuke onto his back. Waiting for Kakashi to recollect himself. Kakashi looked down sighing gently.

"That clone…it was an exact replica of her Naruto. I almost thought she really was there." Kakashi said quietly as they ran through the trees. A silence filled between them and Naruto kept his eyes ahead.

"That's what happens when you love someone Kakashi-sensei. Their image never leaves you." Naruto whispered. Kakashi nodded and chuckled lightly. He did too, love Sakura. She was the daughter he never had. The young vibrant little girl he watched grow from young child to beautiful adult. He would've done anything to protect her. And he failed.

"I know." Kakashi only said and watched as Naruto ran ahead. He lagged behind as he scratched off bark from trees that led to the battle ground. And Kakashi felt it.

A small splash hit his face. A tear.

Kakashi closed his eye. He could see, it was true. Sakura was the one thing that kept this team together. It had already been a week or so of her absence and it felt like forever. And already, they were becoming distant from each other. Sasuke wasn't able to control his anger anymore. Naruto was growing colder and colder by the second. And Kakashi…Kakashi was losing the only family he had had for a long time.

He only hoped that what Tsunade called them for would truly help.

* * *

Hinata met them up at the gates. Her pale eyes filled with worry as she looked at Naruto's face. He seemed emotionless, and sad, maybe angry. She looked down and pushed a piece of her navy blue hair behind her ear. She had heard some of the commotion since Naruto and Kakashi kept their communicators on, and tried to help slightly, but it obviously wasn't enough. Sasuke was still unconscious on his back, and Kakashi remained lagging behind.

They were falling apart and she could see it.

Naruto landed down next to her facing the inside of the village.

"Naruto-kun…are you okay?" She asked turning to him. His eyes remained on the floor.

"What did Tsunade want us to check out?" He went straight to the point. It almost took Hinata aback when he didn't say Tsunade's beloved suffix of "baa-chan". He always did, ever since they had first met. Even when she wasn't around and they were merely talking about her, he threw in the suffix as second nature. But he didn't. It scared her.

"Follow me." She said and began to walk through the village. Along the way Sasuke stirred and he growled.

"We're in Konoha aren't we…," He said to Naruto lowly. Naruto remained silent for a moment sighing.

"Yeah…as much as I didn't want to." Sasuke's chakra grew larger in anger, but he seemed to calmed down a bit.

"Did Kakashi at least mark a trail where our first lead is?" Sasuke asked. Naruto nodded, and Sasuke's chakra lowered. Hinata watched the interaction wearily. Even Sasuke seemed different thanks to Sakura's absence. He was angry, maybe even more emotionless that usual. Kakashi was more rigid than his usual aloof stature.

"I can walk Naruto." Sasuke growled and Naruto dropped his hands. Sasuke glared landing and walked ahead, pushing Naruto with his shoulder slightly. Naruto's eyes narrowed, and his eyes became fierce. Hinata almost ran away from Naruto just because of the look in his eyes. Hinata looked down. When she heard Sakura was missing, she immediately opted to help search for her best friend. If anyone knew her as well as Team Seven it was her along with Ino, but the three ultimately declined.

"N-Naruto-kun, you shouldn't be so tense…" She started cautiously and slowly. Naruto looked over to her with question eyes.

"I'm…sure S-Sakura-Chan can take care of h-herself." She said. Naruto looked away.

"Until I know she's alive and out of harms way, then I'll calm down. Until then Hinata…," He stopped and looked at her seriously. Hinata stopped to face him.

"Shut up. Don't give false hopes to any of us or yourself. For all we know, she's lying dead on the floor as we speak." Naruto scoffed and continued walking, leaving Hinata there wide eyed. Tears filled to the brim of her pale lavender orbs and she remained there, in pain and shock. A single tear fell down her face, and she slowly turned to continue walking. Kakashi ended up catching up to her and they walked in silence.

"Hinata…you mustn't listen to him. The words that come out of Naruto's mouth right now are not exactly him okay? So don't you cry…," He comforted lightly, placing a hand on her shoulder. She only looked at him, revealing even more tears, and pain filled eyes.

"We are all in rough shape right now, but I promise…things will return to normal, and the man you've fallen in love with will come through again." He said quietly. Hinata slowly wiped her tears and nodded. However she remained there as Kakashi's eyes filled with question. Sakura hadn't cried much. Sure when Sasuke was gone for the first few months there was the occasional tears here and there. But even so, Sakura was mainly strong, and didn't cry for any minor reason.

This girl Hinata however, was crying over simple words. Though Sakura would be hurt with a word here or there, she didn't cry about it.

"Hinata…" He started but couldn't find the words to comfort her. She shook her head and sniffed.

"It's okay…I'll just be going now…," She whispered and ran off. Kakashi shook her head. Hinata's demeanor was being rocked with Sakura's absence as well. Over the years, she taught her how to be confident…and now the Hyuuga was just back to the shy girl she was years ago.

With Sakura's absence, the very foundations of Konoha just might crumble.

* * *

Tsunade stared at the three in front of her. The men seemed different from their one week absence. Colder maybe? Hardened?

"What'd you call us back for?" Naruto growled. Tsunade looked down and brought out a manila folder, handing it to Naruto. Sasuke walked next to him along with Kakashi and looked in the folder. In it was a picture of a deceased man's face; his eyes rolled back and mouth open made the boys shiver in disgust. The photo was obviously on the crime scene which was in the alleyway. Next, another picture of the man's neck, in it, two large holes they weren't sure what to make of. The last picture was the man's full body.

A dismembered corpse. An arm, as the photo revealed laid a few feet away, and his leg bent a way it wasn't suppose to. His jaw showed obvious breakage, even without an x-ray, as it was limp to one side. His abdomen; torn open, displaying the poor man's guts.

"What the hell is this…?" Sasuke whispered looking at Tsunade. Tsunade shook her head and looked up to him.

"No clue. He was discovered today, before dawn. A ninja was on his way home during patrol, and took a shortcut through the alleyway. The rest is history." She informed them. Kakashi nodded and sighed turning away.

"God…that is disgusting."

"How does it relate to Sakura-Chan?" Naruto place the folder down waiting for the right answer. Tsunade sat back fully in her chair and place her hands on the table.

"While it may not seem like it now…I believe that there is a chance of Sakura's disappearance connecting to this. I want you to investigate this fully. This man's wife saw the whole thing, however she has not been questioned due to sensitive reasons." Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he cross his arms over his chest.

"And why would this attack be connected to Sakura? We found an area six hours from here. Sakura was definitely there. The ground looked recent." Sasuke shared the information they found. Tsunade's heart dropped and her eyes had fallen.

"Not too long ago…,"

Naruto's heart fell, and his eyes blurred with tears. The battle ground they found…

"A beast, made by Akatsuki, was getting ready to attack Konoha…,"

Their little bit of hope.

"I met it halfway before the thing got here…,"

Their piece of Sakura.

"I punched into the ground, to daze it and made that quake." The entire room went silent.

Their hope was nothing but a fluke. A misunderstanding. A false promise. She looked down, seeing Kakashi's face first. He head was looking down and he leaned against one of the windows quiet. She looked at Naruto next. The poor man was already sobbing and crying against the wall opposite from Kakashi. The last face she looked at was Sasuke's. He stared at her, and when their eyes met, she was sure of what she saw.

A broken heart.

"I'm so sorry boys." She whispered. She missed Sakura just as much as they did. She kept expecting to see her student every day, coming in for her training.

"Where…is this lady…?" Naruto whispered wiping away his tears. Tsunade sighed and stood.

"865 Katana Avenue." She gave them the address.

"I need you boys to wear suits rather than your ninja uniform." Kakashi raised his head to this.

"Why?" Tsunade turned. Her hazel eyes looked down to the Konoha streets, and off in the distance, another large building which had been reopened.

"I have reopened the Uchiha Police Department." She started. Sasuke stared at her and glared slightly. He wanted nothing to do with that place. To him, while he hated what the Konoha elders did to his brother, his father was also at fault. He still didn't understand why his father was planning on doing what he was going to do. It was disgusting.

All in all though, he wanted nothing to do with the old Uchiha Legacy, and wanted to create his own.

Tsunade turned to meet eyes with Sasuke again.

"I wanted to burn that place to the ground." Sasuke growled. The words that came from his lips didn't shock the Hokage. She nodded.

"I know Sasuke. More or less however, I will not have you claim it as yours if you don't want it. You may come to me at anytime and I will rename it the Uchiha Police Department. However, I have renamed it currently to the Konoha Village Police Department so that all may join. Ninjas have already signed up for jobs there, but, the investigation unit still needs to be filled." Tsunade ended. Naruto looked at her.

"So…" He trailed.

"You are all Investigators of the Konoha Village Police Department from here on. I will have you resume your search, once you speak with the victim's wife. Maybe what she says might benefit your current mission." Tsunade said smiling at Naruto's determined face.

"Now, go get some suits. You are dismissed." She nodded them to the door, and they all walked out. Tsunade looked back towards the streets, only for her eyes to trail back onto the roof of the building across. There stood a hooded woman, grinning, her cape flowing to the side with the wind. Tsunade didn't take her eyes of the figure.

"Shizune!" Tsunade yelled in which the black haired petite woman came in and stopped. The hooded woman brought out a hand of blood and waved her index finger with an even wider grin.

"Who's that?" Shizune whispered and Tsunade shook her head.

"I don't know. But whoever and whatever it is…we have to get rid of it." Tsunade whispered, her hazel eyes continuing to glare back at the thing. Tsunade opened the large window and hopped across to meet the hooded woman face to face. After a moment of silence, Tsunade spoke.

"Who are you?" The hooded woman shook her head and chuckled.

"I think the question you're truly meaning to ask is '_what _are you?'" She spoke and disappeared, leaving nothing but a log. The Hokage's eyes darkened and she crossed her arms, going back inside her office.

"Shizune, do you have the description?" Tsunade asked walking through the Hokage halls with Shizune following.

"Yes Tsunade-sama." She said carrying little TonTon and her dark eyes twinkled with seriousness. The Hokage walked upstairs stopping at the roof door.

"Get ANBU on the case. Search everywhere for her. Bring me the village gate guards, and anyone who has had the even slightest chance this woman!" Tsunade said slamming the rooftop door open and looking out over the entire village.

"Is that all Tsunade-sama?"

"I need you to also fetch someone for me." She said glaring at the rooftops and streets. The children ran about, the working people walked, the few shinobi ninjas walked around, keeping an eye on things while mingling with the others.

"Him?" Shizune asked.

Tsunade only nodded.

* * *

"I hate suits." Sasuke groaned looking at himself in the mirror. His consisted of a normal black blazer, with a dark blue shirt and black tie. Kakashi walked out wearing his own suit of black and gray, still wearing his mask. He pushed his hands into his pockets.

"Naruto are you done yet?" Kakashi called out.

The three were in the home of the Uchiha, each of them getting ready to meet with the wife of their deceased victim. The three heard Naruto sigh and walk down the stairs to where his teammates were, and fiddled with his tie.

"I hate suits more." Sasuke rolled his eyes at Naruto's claim, watching as the blond fussed with his tie. Sasuke rolled his eyes again.

"Can't you put on a tie right?" Sasuke scoffed. A sad look came into Naruto's eyes, and he turned away to look at a mirror to better help himself. There was a deafening silence in the room before Naruto decided to speak again.

"S-Sakura-Chan use to do it for me…," He whispered still fumbling with the fabric on his neck. His mind traveled.

'_Naruto…it's easy look!' Sakura said cheerfully and tiredly at the same time. She walked up to him smiling warmly while he tapped his foot impatiently, but gave a sheepish grin to her. She was adorned in a red elegant dress, that split at her right leg, her feet wearing black heels. She grabbed his tie, undoing a knot Naruto had done. She took a the small end holding it, and held up the thicker end. _

"_The rabbit hops over the log…," She started, and wrapped the thicker one over the thinner end. Naruto paid close attention, not to her tying the tie, but to her words. The story was obviously going to be a good one. It had a rabbit in it. He grinned excitedly._

"_The rabbit crawls under the log…," She chuckled at his face, and wrapped the thicker end underneath. _

"_The rabbit runs around the log, one more time—because the rabbit is trying to outsmart the fox…," She said animatedly while wrapping the thick end around the thin end once more but stopping beneath. _

"_The rabbit dives into his rabbit hole!" She said, lifting the thick end of the tie, and pulling it gently through, to be on top of the smaller end. She then tightened a little more to go against his neck comfortably, and they were on their way to a secret mission._

Naruto shook his head.

"The rabbit crawls hops over the log, the rabbit crawls under the log, the rabbit runs around the log, one more time—because the rabbit is trying to outsmart the fox, the rabbit dives into his rabbit hole." He recited softly, and did his neck tie perfectly. Sasuke shook his head and looked away.

"Let's go."

With that the team traveled to 865 Katana Avenue, and Kakashi knocked on the door of a white house, nice, and small. Most likely cozy enough for two people, and should have belonged to people with no enemies whatsoever. That's just what it was. The house next door. That's it. The house wasn't much to think of rather than small and possibly warm.

A woman came out slowly her grey eyes filled with tears and fear. She began to looked at Kakashi and the other two boys wearily.

"Are you the late Mrs. Kowagatte?" Kakashi asked. The woman nodded shakily.

"I...I am...,"

"We are with the Konoha Village Police Department, more specifically the Investigation Unit. We only wish to come inside and ask you a few questions based on your husbands passing." Kakashi sincerely said. Mrs. Kowagatte looked down and brewed more tears in her orbs before nodding and opening the door fully.

"Come in."

The three members of Team Seven looked at each other and walked inside, Mrs. Kowagatte closing the door behind them.


	5. Chapter 5 - The Death

They watched as Mrs. Kowagatte shakily poured tea for them. Her slender fragile hands continued their trembling as she sat, and stared into her own black tea as they took sips of theirs. It was obvious she suffered from shock. The attack must've been truly horrid. It was Kakashi who decided first to break the ice.

"Mrs. Kowagatte, we mean to make this conversation as comfortable as possible. If you feel the need to cry or anything, we will not judge, nor get annoyed." He started, putting his tea cup down while Mrs. Kowagatte's silver grey eyes, a bit darker than Kakashi's hair, looked up to him and welded with more tears. She nodded.

"Shall we start then?" She whispered, her voice timid, and traumatized, shaky with suppressed tears and sobs.

"My name is Kakashi Hatake, and with me, is Sasuke Uchiha, and Naruto Uzumaki." She nodded, as he gestured to each of the men, and looked away again. She began to play with her hands staring off elsewhere. Her silence told Kakashi to continue, and he glared, hearing Naruto whisper she was crazy. Mrs. Kowagatte looked at Kakashi, beginning to pick up her gray and black hair into a pinned bun, with loose strands of hair falling in front of her face, as if to at least try making herself look presentable.

"Mrs. Kowagatte, I would like to start off with only the simple questions before getting to the difficult ones…did your husband have any enemies that may be capable of the crime?" Sasuke stepped in. Mrs. Kowagatte sat up straightly.

"In order to answer your question Mr. Uchiha, I must first answer the hard one…," She cried quietly, tears leaving her eyes again.

"What you saw…," Kakashi whispered knowingly. She nodded and took a deep breath.

"That night…was like any other…," The woman started, and she closed her eyes, remembering it.

_The supposedly great marriage between the Kowaggate's…wasn't a happy one. The man Mrs. Kowaggate thought she had loved was nothing more than an unfaithful drunkard, who didn't care about her or their children. Sometimes he'd go back to the same man she loved, but in the end he was just always going to go have a drink, come back, and beat her. The night of her husband's death was apparently unlike any other. Her husband had just finished throwing her to the floor for inquiring where he had been and if he was with another woman. _

_As soon as he left she silently followed him. Drunk, he was taking shortcuts through the allies, and she was sure he was going to some woman's house. That made Mrs. Kowaggate's blood boil and did have a knife on her getting ready to snap if he was with another woman. _

Mrs. Kowagatte's eyes began to tear and she stopped looking away. Naruto placed his hand over hers and gave her the friendliest smile he could ever muster in his depressed state. She looked into his eyes and let the tears fall down her face.

"We're sorry Mrs. Kowagatte." For some reason she seemed to cry some more.

"Sorry? I-I was going to kill them! I…I…," She began to sob more. Naruto squeezed her hand.

"Mrs. Kowaggate…the important matter is that you didn't, and the children are still with you." Sasuke said seriously. "But for now we need you to continue." He said stoically, his words cold with ice as if he truly didn't care about her life story which in all honesty, Sasuke didn't. His primary objective was to find Sakura. And if this could probably be connected to her, he wanted to make sure he could do this fast and get to her before she had the same fate as Mr. Kowaggate.

Mrs. Kowaggate nodded and took a deep breath.

They all became very serious feeling the next couple of sentences would describe the killing.

_Mr. Kowaggate was murmuring drunken slurs while on his walk through another alleyway, some about his wife others were just plain gibberish. Then it happened. Some kind of figure dropped down from the rooftops, and stopped him dead in his tracks. Mrs. Kowaggate stayed behind one of the large garbage bins and just watched. The woman was obviously a petite female, but since it was dark all she could see was one inch high heeled boots, black clothing and the rest she saw would be told later with the rest of the details. Mrs. Kowaggate thought it was her, the woman possibly sleeping with her husband but had stopped herself from confronting her. _

_The girl had something menacing about her that just screamed to stay away or regret would be eminent. Despite this, Mrs. Kowaggate's husband was not so smart to read the feeling, and started hitting on her. He went on, calling her a sexy babe, and a perfect mistress that Mrs. Kowaggate didn't have to know about. And all she did was laugh, and circle him as if he was some piece of meat. _

_And she was the wolf… _

"_How would your wife feel about that?" She whispered. Mr. Kowaggate turned drunkenly to try and face her but she only circled his body. A slight grin on her face. _

"_What she don't know…won't hurt her." He slurred. The woman chuckled. _

"_Oh? But what about all those nights you've done nothing but abuse her?" She asked. Here Mrs. Kowaggate's eyes widened. No one knew of the abuse. She was careful and amazing at hiding it. Mr. Kowaggate stopped and glared at her._

"_Listen lady! What I do to that bitch is none of your business!" He yelled. The female began to circle him closer and seem to even to take smells at him. _

The three boys suddenly began to notice a slight smile reaching Mrs. Kowagatte's face.

"_All right…all right." She said, her words slow and comforting, and alluring, and seductive. She slowly pressed her body against his and Mrs. Kowaggate froze. _

"_What do you propose we do?" She whispered brushing his lips against his. He grinned._

"_How 'bout you make an unhappy man happy sweet cheeks." Suddenly the female stepped back slightly and grinned._

"_While I'd be much obliged to please an unhappy man…," she started and with almost sheer force and brutality, she pushed her hand through his stomach and upward. She pulled it her husband fell and looked at her with terror. He began to plead and beg for mercy trying to claw himself away. The figure grinned stepping on his leg, and slowly adding more tension until she broke it. _

"_Your wife wouldn't very much appreciate it." She said. Mrs. Kowaggate still couldn't really see too many details of her because it was dark, but she pulled down what seemed to be a hood. It was kind of obvious with the motions she was making but other than that she truly wasn't sure._

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. A hooded woman? Could it have been the same one he had been encountering? He didn't say anything but listened to her story.

"_Do you see what your wife felt like?" She asked._

_She walked over to his arm, and broke it the same way. _

"_How you've slowly stepped…," She started and placed her foot at his jaw to silence him._

"_And pressed…," More pressure to her foot was added. Mrs. Kowaggate began to cry silently but didn't come out in fear that that would be her next. _

"_And broke her?" She said, and in the last word was a mixed animalistic growl. There was the snapping of his jaw but she didn't stop. He was trying to get away and she placed her foot only harder on his jaw. He tried to scream but it only came out in painful, excruciating groans. She only giggled before lightly stomping on his throat taking the window out of him. _

_She remembered, faintly,_ _seeing her grin largely and instead of regular teeth, there were fangs. Mr. Kowaggate saw it too and with his one arm and leg tried to get away. She laughed and laughed something beautiful, and reached down to grab his throat._

"_What's wrong? Don't you want to play with me?" She asked. Her eyes then began glowing a menacing red, bright and entirely. Staring into them her husband began to cry and shook his head. Then she laughed as she tore him apart, sinking her teeth into his neck and doing only god knows what. The wound she caused earlier was torn completely apart, along with the arm. Doing all of it seemed like nothing but pure fun. She kept laughing and giggling as the light slowly faded from her eyes. She then reached into his abdomen and pulled out something before standing and putting it into her pouch._

_She then slowly walked and Mrs. Kowaggate froze almost hoping she wouldn't see her, but the woman almost seemed to know she was already there. She looked down at her, glowing red eyes overcoming her, and even if she tried to look at the rest, it was almost like she couldn't. The red eyes were petrifying enough to make her stay in her place. _

Mrs. Kowagatte then burst out crying and grabbed her face into her hands.

"I was so scared I didn't know what to do…" She cried and sobbed out. Sasuke looked at Kakashi.

"Glowing, red eyes?" Sasuke whispered in question. Kakashi looked at Mrs. Kowagatte.

"Did she do or say anything to you?" Kakashi asked. Mrs. Kowagatte nodded and looked up.

"She said…" Mrs. Kowagatte trailed, and the image of red eyes came into her mind. Glowing red eyes that looked down at her with a fang filled grin. She remembered feeling a hand caress her face and wipe her tears away. In that moment, she wasn't completely scared but all she could see was the glowing red eyes. Then her mouth opened and in a demonic, alluring but sensitive voice, she spoke.

"_I have relieved you of trash that has done nothing but spoil and defile for years. I will return for your payment; for you are forever in my debt." _

Mrs. Kowagatte looked up and stared at the men, whose faces were serious.

"We'll put you under witness protection Mrs. Kowagatte. We are sorry for your loss and thank you for your time." Kakashi said standing with Sasuke and Naruto. Mrs. Kowagatte shot up immediately, with her shaking her head.

"No…don't." She whispered. Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed.

"Mrs. Kowagatte if what you say is true and your husband's murderer will come back for you, we must—" Sasuke was only cut off.

"I am prepared. I owe this woman my life. She did me a great service, and has saved me from what eventually…" Mrs. Kowagatte trailed and looked away.

"…What eventually would have been suicide." Mrs. Kowagatte's eyes turned slightly menacing and emotionless despite team seven's shocked eyes. She smiled gently.

"I want to repay her in any way she asks. Even if she wants my life to end, I want to give it to her. My husband deserved to die, and I wanted to do it myself. I just couldn't and she took that burden away from me." Mrs. Kowagatte's eyes then changed again, from soulless to that of awe and admiration.

"She's the savior of Konoha and soon we will all be in her debt. She will save all of us." She whispered while the boys stared only in shock and slight fear. The woman appeared to be mad, and the three quickly walked out of her home. Sasuke looked at Kakashi quickly, his voice stern and serious with a slight tinge of disgust and disdain. The woman freaked him out. Her face was that of an obsessive admiration and it overcame her in only a matter of a second.

"We can't just leave her alone." Kakashi said, reading Sasuke's eyes. "If what she said is true, and that…thing, comes back for her, she'll be in more danger than ever."

"Hell we can't!" Naruto immediately objected loudly as they began to walk. His cerulean blue eyes were serious and filled with frantic panic and fear. He stood straight and pointed back at the house like a madman.

"That lady is freaking nuts! I don't care if she watched her husband die! First off, she liked it! Second off, she's devoting her life to some, some…_thing_ that made her watch her husband's death in the first place! You are out of your damn mind if anyone in ANBU is going to even _want_ to protect her." Naruto yelled while Sasuke leaned against the wall of an alleyway they entered, and Kakashi sighed at his outburst. The villagers passing by looked at the nine tails' vessel with confusion as well as curiosity, and then began to whisper among each other. Sasuke glared at Naruto smack him upside his blond head, and looked at Kakashi.

"In retrospect to everything, and more respectfully then Naruto, I agree with him. Not in fear, but in concern. She's obviously not in her right mind, and if anything, I'm concerned she'll attack us if we try and protect her. Not to mention, who's to say our murderer won't somehow get pass them and reach Mrs. Kowaggate anyway? And who's to say whether or not our murderer will not kill the ANBU officers just to get to her. I doubt, fully, she will have a problem offing a few ANBU guards around someone's home she feels owes her everything." Sasuke said crossing his arms. Kakashi looked at them with his one eye.

"I admit the woman is a bit insane, but she is a Konoha citizen and is required our protection." Kakashi argued.

"She clearly stated she didn't even want it." Naruto countered.

"She's not in her right mind."

"She's a danger to our fellow shinobi Kakashi." Sasuke snapped lightly. Kakashi looked at him with a slight glare.

"Please tell me how a civilian can be a danger to our fellow shinobi Sasuke, or do you still believe we are weak?" Kakashi taunted lightly. Sasuke pushed off the wall standing into Kakashi's face, meeting him eye to eye. The real implication of Kakashi's taunt was enough to make Sasuke's sharigan activate.

"Excuse me?" He growled.

"You heard me you power sick bastard. If I remember correctly, you were a sick freak who didn't want our protection from Orochimaru." Kakashi sneered and Sasuke slammed him against the opposite side of the wall. His red eyes stared long and hard into Kakashi's charcoal own, and after some time of Naruto telling him to let go, and debating in his own mind, Sasuke released him.

"…Do whatever the fuck you want Kakashi. Just know if there are lives lost, it's on you." Sasuke growled and stalked off.

"Neh Sasuke! Hold on! Don't go!" But the Uchiha only continued his walking. Kakashi went the other way opposite of Sasuke.

"Kakashi-sensei, why did you say that to him?" Naruto whined and ran in front of him, stopping the older silver haired man. Kakashi looked down in sadness.

"Naruto I…," he trailed off looking away. "I honestly don't know…," he whispered.

"I'm going to report to the Hokage now. I'll come and tell you anything that is of importance." He said and disappeared in smoke. Naruto stood alone in the alleyway for a moment and looked up to see gray clouds forming above. His eyes monotone, but scared, his body still, but restless, and his mind focused but confused, Naruto let a tear fall from his eyes.

"It's happening again Sakura-Chan." He whispered to the sky. "We're falling apart again and again I can't do anything about it." He cried out quietly, his voice strained. The clouds seemed to darken at his confession and thunder was heard.

"I'm sorry Sakura-Chan…," He whispered as if the dreary weather was her. Again he stood there in silence and close his eyes as a raindrop hit his cheek. A giggle was heard and he turned only to see he was in the forest with the rain pouring down on him, and beside him Sakura.

"Naruto, I know you hate stormy weather but look!" she said pointing up and he did. He looked back at her not understanding.

"In every dark cloud there's a silver lining…meaning that no matter what, soon, you'll see the sun return." She said smiling and kissing his forehead while he was in his crouched position. Naruto smiled and blinked only to find her gone and in the alleyway he was standing in currently. His eyes saddened as he stared into the clouds. He tried desperately to see the silver linings created by the sun…but it was nonexistent.

Naruto looked down and began his own walk in silence.

* * *

_Three Months Later_

"You summoned me Lady Tsunade?" A smooth voice said from the window. Tsunade looked over to Kakashi as he hopped down fully and bowed to her in respect. She slouched in her chair a bit and nodded. Naruto sat on the couch to the side of the room, staring at Kakashi with a slight smile. His eyes however, seemed dull and dreaded. Kakashi looked back at Tsunade.

"Well if Naruto's here I assume you summoned Sasuke…" Kakashi said. Tsunade nodded but remained silent. Just after the sentence was uttered the door opened and in came the last Uchiha in Konoha. He glared at Kakashi and gave Naruto just the slightest acknowledgement. It had been three months since the three saw each other. It was said that Sasuke was always gone, doing only he knew what. Naruto would take his time searching for Sakura, while trying to find reasons for his disappearance. Kakashi was making himself slowly believe Sakura was gone. It wasn't his first time losing someone close to him and he tried his best to not let the possibility of Sakura's death destroy him.

"I'm sure you are all wondering why I called you here." She said calmly, standing at looking out the window. The three remained silent.

"Mrs. Lina Kowaggate has gone missing. Her daughter and son have not seen her for two days." She informed them. The three seemed slightly shocked.

"I told you to send ANBU there for witness protection." Kakashi said. Tsunade shook her head.

"I did." She looked at him. "They saw and felt nothing."

"Well, what do ya know." Sasuke said smugly, a cocky smirk on his face directed towards Kakashi. The older male glared at him with his one revealed eye and turned to Tsunade.

"So what do you want us to do Tsunade? Search for her?" Tsunade nodded at Naruto's question.

"You are to investigate her disappearance the best you can and see if you can pin point her location." Sasuke scoffed and turned around. Tsunade raised her eyebrow and glared slightly.

"Where are you going Sasuke?" She called to him. Sasuke only turned slightly.

"I'm resuming what I have been doing for three months and that is my search for Sakura. You have delayed us long enough. I don't give two shits about Kowaggate or her husband. My primary goal is to find Sakura safe and sound." Her said beginning to walk out.

"If you want to search for Sakura at least listen to the second thing I have to say." She called to him. He stopped immediately. She took a large inhale as if to calm herself and sat down in her chair. She looked at the picture of her and Sakura on her desk. The two stood smiling, Sakura had her arm wrapped Tsunade's waist, and Tsunade had her arm around her shoulders. They both grinned confidently and beautifully, and behind them was nothing but destruction from the training they did just a few minutes earlier. It brought tears and a slight smile to her face.

She blinked them away and became stoic after placing the picture faced down.

"Sakura Haruno has been missing for three months now." She started. Sasuke's ears perked up and he stayed in the room meaning he was listening. Only her eyes shifted downward in order to avoid looking at the men. Naruto became serious, and Kakashi as silent and aloof as ever.

"While investigation of absence will remain open I need you boys here and for other missions as well." She said. Naruto's eyes widened as he pieced together what she was going to say and aloud tears to escape as he stood up angrily.

"Tsunade!" He yelled.

"As much as it hurts…," She trailed off and looked down in sadness cutting Naruto off in the process.

"I'm going to declare her dead." She said.

"You can't!" Naruto yelled. He slammed his hands onto her desk letting the tears shed.

"You can't just give up on her!" Naruto yelled. She stood glaring.

"It's not a matter of giving up Naruto it's a matter of being realistic!" She yelled angrily throwing the other blond into a shock as it sunk in and he retracted from her desk. Kakashi leaned on the window, and remained silent. Naruto looked at Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei…why aren't you saying anything to this?" He cried out. Kakashi looked at him solemnly and then looked away again.

"Naruto…it's time we all faced it. We all know that when someone disappears the first forty-eight hours are the most crucial to finding them alive. It's been three months…it's only real to accept the possibility of her death." He explained. Naruto shook his head through the explanation and looked to Sasuke who seemed frozen in his spot.

"Sasuke…Sasuke say something. We can't just let them declare Sakura-Chan is dead! You and I both know more than everyone she's still alive." Sasuke turned slowly to reveal tears of his own, making Naruto's heart sink.

"Sasuke…," He started as the said man wiped his tears away.

"She's not dead." Sasuke said instantly. "But Kakashi is right." He said. Naruto's eyes widened.

"We have to at least accept the _possibility_." He said seriously. Naruto shook his head.

"I'm not accepting anything! She's alive!" Naruto yelled and ran out of the room. Sasuke disappeared in smoke and Kakashi stood alone with the Hokage seated still at her desk. He looked at her fully.

"Dismissed."

* * *

Naruto sat on the swing at the park in across the street from the academy. He sat only swinging lightly with his foot and staring down at the grass, watching as the young kids got out. Sakura's laugh filled his mind and he closed his eyes.

"_Naruto will you push me?" She asked kindly. She was seven years old and her hair was short and she was so beautiful. He blushed but grinned to hide it and nodded._

"_Sure Sakura-Chan!" He yelled loudly and she laughed at his enthusiastic attitude. And instantly they ran towards the swing. Sakura sat down holding on the ropes in her small hands. She looked back at Naruto behind her._

"_Ready!" She said grinning. He smiled back and grabbed the bottom ropes, pulling them and then pushing her gently. He smiled gently. His large blue eyes warmed when she giggled and asked him to push her higher. When she told him to stop he did and walked over to the side to watch the cherry blossom fly. As she went up, her hair blew back, revealing her pretty face and large doe, grassy green eyes. When she went back down, she looked like she was falling away only to miss the ground and flutter back up._

_He smiled._

"_Hey Sakura-Chan, let's go get some ramen at Ichiriku's!" He said grinning. She smiled jumping off at a high height and landed a couple of feet away from Naruto. She stuck her tongue out at him._

"_Race ya!" _

"_Neh? Sakura-Chan! Wait for me!" He yelled running as she took off. _

"Of all places, you came here to get away from it all?" A scoffing voice said, breaking Naruto away from his flashback. He looked over to see Sasuke against the tree connected to the old swing. Naruto looked and glared for a moment before looking down.

"I wasn't looking to get away…" He growled. His eyes saddened.

"I thought if I simply passed by, I'd see her sitting here, reading or watching the kids like I have over the years." Naruto confessed. Sasuke looked down. He remembered this was one of Sakura's favorite places to be. She would sit here and read, and watch or even play with the children. She liked kids a lot from what he saw. There was a warm look in her eyes whenever she was around them. He supposed it was their innocence that touched her.

He liked that quality though. She was a sentimental woman, of brains, brawn, and beauty.

"A lot of memories here…," Sasuke stated touching the tree he and Sakura used to climb in competition with each other. She always won of course, having the most chakra control even at a young age. He remembered one of their first tests by Kakashi, to see if any of them could climb the largest tree in Konoha. Sakura was the only one who got to the top in the very same day, later confessing it wasn't her first time doing so.

"Yeah…" Naruto whispered. His hands gripped the rope tighter and Sasuke noticed.

"Sasuke…do you really believe she's still alive?" Naruto asked in a choked whispered. Sasuke looked at him seriously and nodded.

"I know she's still alive…somewhere. Sakura is strong. Even if she goes down we both know she won't go down without a fight. She can also fend for herself for a while. We'll know if she's in danger Naruto. I'm sure of it." Sasuke tried to reassure, but he knew he was lying. He wasn't even sure himself. He wanted to believe Sakura was alive. God knows what he'll do if she wasn't. But there was that part of him, from training, that just said she could be laying somewhere, dead.

"I guess..."


End file.
